010 Active grammar - passive grammar classification

Changes in use of grammar

We have, in vocabulary, the classification of active vocabulary and passive vocabulary. Active vocabulary refers to the words we use in our communications. Passive vocabulary refers to the words we use in interpreting and understanding the communications received from others.

Grammar also needs a similar classification. I am not sure, whether others have started making such classification.

Active Grammar
Grammar which we use in our conversations and written communications.

Passive Grammar
Grammar which we use in interpreting and understanding the communications from others.

Why this active grammar - passive grammar classification is important?
The grammar used by the traditional grammarians remains static. The current and contemporary grammar is dynamic. It changes with changes in usage habits.

E.g. : The traditional grammar indicates the 'first person, simple future' using:
I shall come

and the 'first person, certainty/determination' using:

I will come.

Vice versa, is the case in respect of second and third person pronouns 'you, he, she, it and they'.

This distinction has vanished in the modern usage.

We cannot deduce true meaning of an inbox message using the traditional grammar, if the other person has employed 'the modern usage'.

We have to determine from the context whether the speaker/writer has employed the traditional grammar or the modern grammar and then narrow down the meaning.

We cannot, therefore, find fault with somebody's communication, if it says 'I will come tomorrow' and the sender fails to turn up the next day.

What should our active grammar be?

Active grammar, is the grammar we employ in our communications.

We have to choose traditional grammar if our listeners/readers are going to be scholars and modern grammar if our listeners/readers are going to be the general population, may be netizens, customers, suppliers etc.

E.g. : 'I will come tomorrow' of the traditional grammar, in the modern usage, does not any longer indicate the determination.

We may have to use 'I will come tomorrow certainly/without fail.' to indicate certainty, keeping in mind the needs of the modern users of 'will'.